Noise making shoe attachment



A ril 26, 1960 C. AYALA ETAL NOISE MAKING SHOE; ATTACHMENT Filed Feb. 6. 1958 2,933,832 NOISE MAKING snor. ATTACHMENT Carl Ayala and Bayard C. Reed, Chicago, 11]., assignors to Marvin 1. Glass, Chicago, Ill.

Application February 6, 1958, Serial No. 713,730 4 (Ilaims. (or. 36-75) The present invention relates generally to a novelty and, more particularly, to a novelty which is adapted to be attached to the shoe of a child and by means of which he is enabled to make a loud clacking noise as he walks.

The principle object of the invention is the provision of a noise making novelty of the class described which is capable of being readily attached to the feet of a child and which will make a loud noise as the child walks. A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of the class described which will not mar'or otherwise damage the floor or other surface on which the child walks, which will be inexpensive to fabricate and which may be used over an extended period of time. Another object of the invention is the provision of such a device in a form which will be appealing to children.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become known by reference to the following description of one embodiment of the invention and the accompany ing drawings thereof.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a noise maker embodying various of the features of the invention attached to a shoe;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the noise maker illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 3-3 in Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a plan view of the heel piece which contitutes a part of the device shown in Figure 1.

In general, a nose maker in accordancewith the invention comprises a piece of spring material which is attached at its ends to the shoe of the wearer in such manner that it is bowed incident to intermittent pressures as the wearer walks, such bowing causing a loud clacking noise incident to the bowing of the material.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings comprises a generally bow-shaped noise making member 5 which is fabricated from a strip of tempered spring steel or the like, and which includes a noise making section 7 which is adapted to engage the ground indicated by the line 9 in Figs. 1 and 3. The noise making section 7 is generally fiat, as illustrated, but is provided with a downwardly concave boss or indentation 11. The concave boss 11 illustrated includes a generally circular and flat bottom section which is displaced downwardly from the main portion of the section 7, and an outwardly inclined wall or transition section 13 extending between the bottom section and the main portion of the section 7. The upper edge of the boss 11 is substantially circular in outline with truncated side portions coextensive with the sides of the section 7.

Each end of the noise making section 7 is extended upwardly and outwardly to provide a pair of connecting sections, the forward connection section being designated 15 and the rearward connecting section being designated 17. In the illustrated device, the connecting sections 15 and 17 are provided respectively with platform sections 19 and 21 by which the noise making member 5 is attached to the shoe S of the wearer.

Means 22, of course, are provided for attaching the member 5 to the shoe S. In the illustrated embodiment, the forward platform section 19 is provided with a U- shaped piece 23 of flexible material which is folded about a rubber band 25 or the like, to' provide a guideway therefor. The U-shaped member 23 may then be conveniently attached to the platform section 19 by the rivets 27, or by other suitable means.v The rubber band 25 is proportioned to slip over the toe of the shoe S and hold the forward end of the device in position. The specific means illustrated provide a readily adjustable, somewhat resilient connection, but, of course, any other suitable known means may be employed, such as, for example, straps, clamps such as are employed on roller skates, etc.

The rearward end of the member 5, the platform 21, is also attached to the heel of the shoe S. In the illustated embodiment, the platform 21 is attached to a heel cradle 29 which comprises a piece of leather, plastic or the like, which is fabricated to fit under the heel of the shoe and which is adapted to be attached to the platform 21 as by rivets 31 or the like. The heel cradle 29 shown includes a web 33 which is disposed under the heel of the shoe and which is attached tothe platform section 21 and a web 35 which is disposed behind the 1 eel of the shoe S. The heel cradle 29 also includes straps 37 and 39 which are adapted to extend around the ankle so as to prevent forward and aft movement of the noise maker on the foot. One of the straps, the strap 39, is provided with a releasable fastening means such asthe buckle 41. Of course, the platform section 21 may be attached to the foot of the wearer in any other convenient manner.

The webs 33 and 35 and the straps 37 and 39 can be conveniently fabricated from a single piece of material and at the same time provide a holder for an insignia or the like by fabricating these elements from a single piece of material as illustrated in Fig. 4. As shown in that figure, these elements may be formed from a single piece of material which is generally H-shaped. In this instance, the web 33 constitutes the cross bar of the H and suitable holes 43 are provided for the rivets 31. The side bars of the H-shape are folded up to form a cradle for the heel, and the ends of the side bars to one side of the web 33 are pinched together in face to face relationship and riveted together at 45' with a rivet 47 to provide the heel web 35. The forward ends of the side bars of the H-shape are formed into the pair of straps 37 and 39. The ends of the webs 35, indicated as 49, which extend beyond the rivet 47 are adapted to carry a decorative insignia such as the spur 51 illustrated, which may be suitably attached between the elements 35 by a rivet 53 or the like. Of course, other decorative devices may be employed, for example, a suitable fanciful object may be attached to designate a space-man, etc.

In order to prevent marring the floor or other surfaces, a sleeve 55 of plastic, rubber or the like, is disposed about the element 5 in the areas where it is likely to touch the ground as illustrated.

In use, the device is attached to the shoe of the wearer, as described, the sections 7, 15 and 17 providing a downwardly bowed member of tempered spring steel, the upper ends of which are attached to the shoe of the wearer. As the device is stepped on, pressure is applied to the platform sections 19 and 21 and the lower surface of the bottom section of the indentation 11, as indicated by the arrows P in Fig. 3. This pressure causes the connecting sections 15 and 17 to pivot about their lower ends and assume the position shown in dotted outline in t d, p -26, 11 6 big. a. Thismevement tends to bow the section 7 upwardly, and the bowing in cooperation with the pressure on the bottom section of the indentation 11 causes the bottom section to be snapped upwardly into a position which is displaced upwardly from the main portion of the section 7, as shown at 7' in Fig. 3. The snapping of the indentation 11 produces a loud clacking noise. As the pressure P is released, the member 5 resumes its original position because of the elasticity in the steel, and as the section 7 returns to its original position, the indentation 11 is caused to rapidly snap back into its original position, thus resulting in another loud clacking noise. This noise is repeated as the wearer walks.

The features of the invention combine to produce an intere'sting and decorative novelty item for children which is inexpensive and durable, and which produces an action and has an appearance which is attractive to children.

Various of the features of the invention which "are believed to be new are set forth in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A noise making childrens novelty adapted to be worn on the foot, comprising an elongated downwardly bowed member of spring material, means for attaching said member tothe foot of the wearer, said member being provided with a generally flat lower section, a concave boss in said section, said concave boss being inverted as an incident to pressure on said member as the wearer walks, thereby producing a noise.

2. A noise making childrens novelty adapted to be worn on the foot, comprising an elongated downwardly bowed member of spring strip material, means for attaching said member to the foot of the wearer, said member being provided with a generally flat lower section, a concave boss in said section, said concave boss being in- 3. A noise making childrens novelty adapted to be worn on the foot, comprising an elongated downwardly bowed member of spring strip material, means for attaching the member to the foot of the wearer, said member being provided with a generally flat lower section, a concave boss in said section, said boss being substantially circular in outline with truncated side portions coextensive with the sides of said section, said concave boss being inverted by the weight of the wearer acting on the upper ends of the bowed member and the lower surface of the boss contacting the ground as the wearer walks.

4. A noise making childrens novelty adapted to be worn on the foot, comprising an elongated downwardly bowed member of spring strip material, means for attaching said member to the foot of the wearer, said member being provided with a generally flat lower section, a concave boss in said section, said boss having a generally circular and flat bottom portion which is displaced down- 7 wardl'y-from the main portion of said lower section, and

an outwardly inclined transition section extending between the bottom portion and the main portion of said lower section, the upper edge of the boss being circular in outline with truncated side portions coextensive with the sides of the lower section, said bottom portion being snapped into a position which is displaced upwardly from the main portion of the lower section by the weight of the wearer acting on the upper ends of the bowed member and the bottom portion contacting the ground as the wearer walks.

vetted by the weight of the wearer acting on the upper 3 ends of the bowed member and the ground contacting the lower surface of the concave boss as the wearer walks.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 724,545 Conklin Apr. 7, 1903 1,571,073 Tapling Ian. 26, 1926 2,413,545 Cordi Dec. 31, 1946 2,454,228 Smith Nov. 16, 1948 

